Should have Posted Sooner

I should have posted sooner, but I am home. The Revolution in Ukraine got crazier the day we left.
 They want their freedom. They are adamant about it. If only they knew of the true freedom, the freedom that comes from Christ; pray for the country of Ukraine that God would turn many hearts to Him through this and that Yanikovich would listen to the voice of the people of his country.
Thank you all for your prayers and support, I will still be posting on here and have yet to receive the photos of in the HIV+ hospital (the pics of kids that I can post.) I will be posting as soon as I receive those as well.
~Susannah

Last day in Ukraine

It has been my last day in Ukraine. I am at my hostess' Christmas party we just did a white elephant gift exchange. My first one!

I got a Ukrainian blouse.

Three women from Okmadet came to church today, even though Tanya wasn't there! They asked Mrs. Heim to come to their village and speak about HIV! Praise God! 

A political update (I don't know how many of you know but there has been a revolution right by the church. They have people spending the night on the street. (Today they called for a million man march) so we have been walking through that. It is really cool. 

Anyway some revolutionaries pulled down the Lenin statue! (Like a symbol of the uncalled for tyranny of the government.) 

     This is St. Andrews (Or St. Michael's can't remember now :(  )   church, it was SO pretty!

I am still waiting to get pics of the hospital. Will post soon.

From Ukraine, coming home soon, 

Susannah  

Today...

Today we slept in until 9:30-10:00 then we went to the store and went on an outdoor shopping excursion I was able to practice my Russian and bargaining skills ;) it was really fun and really cold. We decided NOT to get the promised ice cream. I got some nice Christmas gifts for my family.
Going to church tomorrow.  Pray that the moms would have the courage and ability to go to church (for the first time too!)
Pray that God would work through this trip to bring glory to Himself.

From Ukraine, Susannah. 

Apology

I was reading some of the posts from the past couple days. Sorry about all the  misspelled words! I write it on my iPod that has all my pics on it so it is a bit hard to write perfectly with a 2x1" keyboard and 1 1/2 cm fingers on 3mm x5mm keys. :-) and auto correct. :-p

People with a Story

When I look at the people, 

each face passing by; 

each having a story yet to be told.

 Shed your light, 

shed your grace,

 shed your hope;

 and as they see the people each one passing by; 

a story to be told; 

help them to see them as a person, 

who needs love, 

who needs hope.

 A person with feelings and a person who needs to be told; 

"I care, because my Savior cares!"

Orphanage

We went to meetings all morning anticipating the visit to Mrs. Heim's children's orphanage. They say we could come at seven. So we left. Two hours later (it was only supposed to take fourth five mins. ) we got to a dark orphanage. The orphanage workers had left an locked the doors for the night. We left the gifts we had brought hanging on the door and our driver surprised us all by running up a flight of stairs to the second story and knocking on the window of the children's room and told them that we were there and be them a message. Them we left. (The kids couldn't get out even if there was a fire and they were there all by themselves.)

There is a possibility that some of the moms might come to church this Sunday because of the tea party with God speaking hope to these women through Mrs. Heim and Tanya. 

-Please continue to pray for God's hope to pour out on these women. 

-Please pray that I would get enough sleep but wake up early and that I would have good growing times in God's word. Our days have been so busy. I have even able to read my Bible but only a few chapters a day an then rush and go, get back late, get into bed, remember quiet time and try to read another chapter. 

-thanking God for Him helping me to get better at the language and helping me to feel comfortable. I know that is not what this is all about but it is very nice. I have had my comfort zone stretched at times but that has been good. 

-thanking God for bringing me here and using Mrs. Heim in that. 

Also for Jim and Mariana's generosity in opening up their home to us. 

Thank you. 

there shall now be a short stream of pictures and videos with explanations below

A very long escalator in metro station. I am part way down already. It ends at the end of the tunnel. 

Those bumps are a bunch of stray dogs. They are everywhere! (Even when there are Babushka's on the street who set up little "tables" (cardboard boxes I think.) with raw meat laying out to sell!!!)

And the statue of a baby on a cabbage. 

And a playground.

Goodnight! It is one o'clock in the morning here and the latest I can sleep in is 8:30 I did this yesterday to. So I need sleep!

From Ukraine with love, Susannah

Today in Kyiv

Metro 

Restaurant old Soviet Style. 

We went to Okmadet today. Everything went well, I gave out the blankets and Toys and everyone was thrilled. Played with kids and gave out toys and blankets and did a LITTLE bit of translating and communication with the mothers who actually STAYED and mingled and talked to Marianna and Mrs. Heim. 

Unfortunately... No pictures... Then we went to a restaurant to meet someone who ended up not being able to come.

At Okmadet I was able to tell a little girl a story and end it with basically Jesus loves you kind of thing (she was pretty little) 

The children seemed to like the toys. The one little boy whose grandma is teaching him English picked out the little horse that Anthony thought the kids would like and he kept stroking it and his Grandmother told me many times thank you. I think she was telling me about toys being to expensive (for them)  to get them for him. Something like that.  I should have thought to bring cars for little boys (or girls I suppose) because this little one asked me if I had any cars. I said I didn't but I think he was happy with the horse after he saw it. 

I got a couple blank stares from little ones today when I spoke to them. (Particularly when asking their name.) and I would switch to Ukrainian and make sure I said it clearly an louder.  They got it after the so I don't know which I did that was helpful. (pronouncing better or speaking Ukrainian!)

I also made a friend with a girl who was just adopted and is moving to Chicago. She didn't speak much English but she knew Spanish and Russian and Ukrainian. Between Russian, Ukrainian, Her English and my Spanish and ever so handy, google translate; we were able to communicate quite nicely. :)

For now, Susannah 

Okhmadet

Pronounced aw kmA dyet. It is a pretty main hospital in Kyiv. We went and hosted a tea for the mothers who have HIV and stay there for treatment. We also got a tour of the hospital. When we went into the room where the children who were abandoned were.  Wow. Tears at the thought that someone gave them up. They were brought to the hospital for treatment and left there. There were four precious bundles of sweetness. Left behind. Left destined for an orphanage. The hurt of abandonment. Rejection. Not understanding why. What was wrong with me?  For the rest of their life, even when Jesus heals those wounds, fills the empty place in their heart which I pray He will. There is still a pain.

The party went well. I think women were able to open up a little. The LORD really guided me as I packed 12 Bibles to bring to 10 people. When it came time to pass out gifts I passed out to each woman individually a Bible (Ukrainian or Russian) I had only 4 Ukrainian bibles. And (to my knowledge) There were only four people who wanted a Ukrainian Bible. No one else asked for one. After distributing all the gifts, an older woman hasn't received any gift, Mrs. Heim gave her the blanket, make up bag and necklace. I didn't have anymore Bibles. Then I remembered the two new testaments that I had stuck in the bag. For "no reason" I went and grabbed one and gave it to the lady. She took it and clasped it to her heart and then kissed it and hugged it again. It was so sweet, and I was so grateful that God made me bring the new Testaments. 

Tomorrow we are going again but this time to play with kids. (I did cheat and play with some today) :D

 Christina... the only picture I  have and can really post of her. 

 The "Tea Table"

 The gifts

Sweet little boy, a little girl was pulling on me none to gently for her size and he pushed her off (I did stop him ;) but in the process removed her hand from my collar) and he wrapped his arms around my neck and climbed into my lap. They were both precious. 

The little boy reminded me a little of Anthony, because this little one  had a piece of cardboard that was his "telefone' and he was taking pictures with it. 

The girl was adorable and had a beautiful laugh and they both had amazing smiles. I wish I was allowed to take face shots but because if the stigma of Ukraine they don't want their picture taken because they are afraid someone will see it. These children's mothers were at the party.  Another little boy and his Babushka came up to me and Sveta and this sweet little five year old with very few teeth introduces himself (with the prompting of his grandma) to us in English. They were both so sweet! 

Here are some cookies we made 

A couple last things, Tanya was explaining the biblical meaning of the necklaces to someone and helped them find it in their bible she had six people gathered around her listening to her read scripture and they were underlining it in their bibles. Unfortunately I missed it because I was playing with the kids!

And we visited a clinic for a meeting, I felt like I was in a movie. The clinic wasn't BAD the people were amazing, but the office felt... Like in a movie of a foreign countries hospital!  

Pray for moms to come back for their kids and take care of them. 

Pray for a father to change his mind and get over his grief of his wife's passing at least to let his daughter get the care she needs. 

And pray for a mobile clinic for the clinic I went to today.

Thank you. 

Bibles

God once again has proven Himself faithful. I wanted to purchase twenty five bibles in America for $600 an here I just purchased eighteen for a little less than $100! I love it here! I love the language, I love the people, I love the country (or what little I have seen of it. ) an the missionaries I am staying with are awesome (as of course are Mrs. Heim and Sveta) and the people that I have met. God is good! I am thinking Him for bringing me here but it will be kinda hard to leave I'm afraid because I don't know when I will be coming back. But trusting God to do as He wills and if He wills, I will come back, if He does not, who am I to fight against the God who brought me here?

On the streets there was an old Babushka selling bread and an older man (but not quite a Dedushka) selling some kind of bread as well. I have seen some beggars as well. 

Oh, and cars drive on the sidewalks here! And park crazily! It is kind of humorous! Tomorrow we are doing a sort of tea party for the positive moms (HIV+) and we will be bringing bibles and over gifts for them. Very excited about all of the hospital and orphanage visits this week! 

Please pray that I would be able to shine God's light and that He would reveal Himself to the people we will be meeting. Thank you. 

Susannah

In Ukraine

I am in Ukraine! The plane trip went well I only was able to sleep for two hours in about 24-27 hours and then I slept for almost twelve hours and woke up very rested! Church was a 4 hour service in Ukrainian, it took us 45 mins including three metro stops to get there and when we left we walked in what turned out to be a group of protesters! It was very calm and we were assured that it was safe by the missionary. We saw St. Sophia's church which is I guess 1000 years old. The metros were crazy and fast and fun! In about an hour we are going back to church for the English service! I will try to post more later. (The Internet service is kind of sketchy) I LOVE it here! It is SO cool!

Here are some pics 

Leaving Chicago 

Our "tables" on the plane. 

This is the airport in Amsterdam (please ignore all the glaring reflections I was losing battery fast and wanted a pic. )

Outside of the apartment in Ukraine where I am! (Take note of the cars on the sidewalks... a common sight in Ukraine.. they also drive along the sidewalks :) )

No snow and nice weather (cold) but nice!

Cultural note: (learned from experience) you don't smile at strangers or you are considered goofy and in my case... They told the person next to him about HOW goofy I was. Ok. No smiling, got it ;). No- just no smiling at strangers - I'm in Ukraine now!

For now, Susannah 

UPDATE: May 29, 2014 After getting back to America and wondering why I could understand "Goofy" so well I realized... I don't know that word in Russian or Ukrainian... so speaking into google translate I received the reason I could understand... the word that sounds very much like the English word "goofy" actually means Stupid.... great! I think I liked "Goofy" better! LOL

Packed and Ready to Go!

I have been "packed" for the past three weeks, but yesterday me and my mom went through the bag and found my passport, eliminated and added to the bag and weighed it, checked baggage rules.. ect, I am all packed and have my outfit that I am going to wear on the plane chosen and laid on a dresser!

Three days!

a cool thing I learned in my quiet time this morning,   Moses is asking God, "who am I to do this thing" basically, I can't, how can I? and God replies, "I am with you"  it doesn't matter how weak you are, with my strength, you can do all things and when I am leading, none can stand against you.

I can't do it             God can, and He wouldn't give me anything that He would not give me the strength to do

I'm not strong enough,                     God is strong enough and He is with me, in Him, I can do all things

I'm not wise enough,    God is wise enough, and He will give me the wisdom when the time comes

I'm not brave enough,      I serve a God who will protect me, nothing that happens to me is out of God's hands

I'm not enough,                but God is.

I serve a God with whom nothing is impossible, a God who can do all things, a God who is all knowing, a God who is powerful, and a God who is more than enough.
I serve a God of power, of holiness, and I serve a God of grace, we cannot ever do enough, be enough, or act enough, we can only except the grace that He offers to us freely, as a gift if we will only believe.
I serve a God of mercy, of wisdom, of love, of everlasting life
He is holding it all out to us, if we will only repent for your sins and believe, He is eager to bestow it upon you, and have a personal relationship... with you!

Tornado

an F4 tornado struck my town of Washington IL destroying hundreds of houses, because it was Sunday many lives were spared because people were in Church; praising God for His protection and coveting prayers for those who have lost their homes in this disaster and for comfort and peace and hope that only God can give.

This is where I was working today, digging through rubble trying to help people find family photos, Journals, and other things that are special to them.  We worked for 5 hours this morning. tired but glad to have been able to do something after feeling completely useless and helpless the past two days.

You can read a better description of what happened Sunday HERE. 

Please keep praying!

Thank you. 

 

 Pictures by me, on November 19, 2013

30 Days

                                                      30 days until I leave for Ukraine!
                                                               (Yes, I'm counting!)

Pictures and little update

Here are some pictures of all the supplies... no wait... there is a another whole garbage bag filled with school supplies too! 

I gave all of the stuff to Mrs. Heim the other day, M is going to help us get Bibles in Ukraine, we are going to hospitals and will visit an orphanage...  I am getting more and more excited as the day draws nearer, 4 1/2 weeks!!!!

I Will Praise You

                    Weeks!

                                                                           Until I leave! 

I keep having dreams about leaving!  Yesterday we found some warm sweater dresses (that Mrs Heim recommended.) and a sturdy, warm, pair of boots. I am continually awed by God's grace and provision through His people over the last 2 months. 

Your power and love,

provision and grace; 

they overwhelm me.

Every knee will bow, and tongue confess,

that you are LORD.

You are the Father of the fatherless,

comforter of the brokenhearted, 

and husband to the widow.
I lift my hands to you in praise, O God,
My Father, friend, God, Savior, Redeemer,
The One who has called me by grace,
not because of anything I have done or can do;
but because if who you are, and your inexpressible grace. 
I extol you.
I will praise you in the assembly.
You are the first and the last, beginning and end, alpha and omega.
You are the one true God; and I love you O LORD, my God, my maker.
Here I am, with nothing to offer except myself, a life you redeemed, I give back to you.
Use me, for you, and for your glory.
Amen.

Bibles From Believers Update

The missionary we are staying with said that she would find a place in Ukraine to purchase the Bibles, thus saving us the cost of shipping and the hassle of getting them together and into Ukraine and all that! praise God!
I just wanted to let you all know that!

Blessings, Susannah

God of Power

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
I want to share with you some of the ways I have seen God move mountians...
when we started looking at kids I at first was a bit nervous about adopting a special needs child but VERY excited, as I have learned more about adoption, special needs and God this nervousness has faded away.
since we started thinking about adoption I had started learning Russian from a friend of mine and from books at the library.
I am so excited now to be able to go and work with special needs children, these children are loved by God, the Father's heart is for the Fatherless; who am I to say that I don't want to show love? I am VERY,VERY,VERY,excited about going in this trip and meeting and loving on and playing with these children and showing God's love to them.
After we got rejected for the third time after appealing and re -appealing our case with DCFS; (this was all stretched out over a year.) we had the Heim 's three daughters come and stay with us while their parents were in Ukraine adopting a sibling group of four children.
When Mr. and Mrs. Heim got home with their children we were able to see them and their 4 new children and one of the girls who stayed with us, came over to our house almost every Tuesday... (this was later in the summer)
My new Years wish had been to go to Ukraine and be fluent in Russian... we'll see about the fluency but I am definetely getting better with my Russian, and when Mrs. Heim heard about the Ukraine part she said that she would take me with her if I could raise the money. I was saving my money but not actively fundraising or anything like that yet. In June my family moved and I started doing a farmers market in July. I put a little sign on the table that said that all the proceeds went to missions trip in Ukraine. people would donate sometimes and they would buy My jewelry and body products to help support my trip. In August my family, my grandma and my cousins family all had a garage sale. I write Mrs. Heim just to verify how long the trips would be and if I could get anything from the sale to bring to Ukraine. she wrote back telling me the things I could bring, describing each trip and how the winter trip would be cheaper and we would be there ten days... (I had the mindset I was going in the summer but I had prayed and asked God that if He wanted me to go on the winter trip (which I thought was only three days) that He would make it longer.) so God made it longer and the discription seemed like everything I had dreamed of (ok not everything but pretty close!)
I still needed money for my ticket and whatever else. I was anticipating close to 2000 dollars. within a week I (without telling anyone I needed an extra boost) I had raised 800 dollars total. I received an email tom Mrs Heim how much the tickets cost... I needed 100 dollars it was supplied and I had my ticket by the end of the week. 
four days ago I posted through facebook a link to my blog and the post 'Bibles from Believers' to raise money for Russian Bibles.
As of last night God has supplied money for...
1 Child's Bible
2 Russian /English New Test.
21 Russian/English Old and New Test. Bibles
and Transportation
Isaiah 45:2-3
"I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who called you by your name."
It is so awesome to be watching God move mountians, level exalted places, breaking doors of bronze and cutting to pieces the bars of iron.
Psalm 100:4-5
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

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Little Bit More Info

I just got off the phone with Mrs. Heim, we will be going to two different hospitals the baby hospital and the older kid hospital (6-12 yrs)  "Bibles would be awesome to bring." she said.
(Check out the Bibles from Believers page.) We will be staying with a missionary there and going to Church twice :)
we will bring school supplies for some kids there, the missionary (M.) has hired a teacher to teach the kids for an amount of time (that I can't remember :/) because otherwise they just chill in the hospital with no education.   I am very excited to be able to go on this trip.  for now. Susannah

Adopt

The word 'Adopt' means; 'to take as ones own, to claim.' Isn't it amazing to think that God, our heavenly Father chose to take us-orphans, without hope, dead in our sins- and adopted us? He has claimed us as His children, He saw us dead in sin, hopeless, with nothing to offer and loved us.
The Father's heart is for the orphan, He speaks of it over and over again in His word.
When you hear about orphans or adoption what do you think? - "I would love to adopt, but, it costs too much."
"I would love to adopt, but, my house isn't big enough."
would you put a price on your child's head? "you have a broken collar bone? we will take you to the doctor as long as it is under $300." "symptoms of Leukemia? we will take you in but it has to be less than $1000."
No, you make a way, you do without the movie theater that week; or you stop going out for dinner every night.
Life is worth every penny you can give and then some.
Never put a price tag on a precious life. Did Jesus say, "Father, giving up my life for Tony, Anna, Amanda, Bill- it is too much of you to ask, but I would love to if only it didn't cost so much, sorry all you sinners!"
No He did not He went willingly to the cross.  If Jesus would die for us shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice time and money for the least of these?
On to the second excuse...
There are so many children who are starving in little cribs, their limbs growing weaker, their eyes less focused from lack of stimulation, their hearts getting more and more broken. When they are lifted or touched their little bodies hurt, their broken hearts filled with fear. It is easier for people to leave them alone...
don't say my house isn't big enough, is your heart big enough? Jesus fills us with His love, His heart is for the least of these; Jesus did not tell His Father that there wasn't enough room in heaven.

Adopted Is a beautiful word.
Adopted is to be chosen
Adopted is to be loved
Adopted is to be taken care of
Adopted is to be loved unconditionally
Is adoption easy? no, but it is good- adoption is extending the grace and love of Jesus to those who have never received it before.  

Extend God's grace to the least of these...Adopted is being shown the love of Jesus...
            Adopt is showing His love.
“ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless
is this:to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
—James 1:27
                                          “ He has showed you,O man,what is good. And what does
                                           the LORD require of you?To act justly and to love mercy and
                                           to walk humbly with your God.”                           —Micah 6:8

Bibles from Believers

 Recently I met with a born again believer from Ukraine. As we talked, she told me many good ways to share the gospel with someone from the Ukraine; "Show love and bring Bibles." were two of the things that she said.
They do not have very many Bibles.
The most prevalent religions are Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox; they fear and worship Mary.
They don't know God, they are dead in their sins...
"It is a dead faith." Mrs. Nataly said. "but if you give them a Bible, which many of them don't have, they will treasure it. They can learn about God; plus, if it is a Russian/English Bible, they can learn about God and they can learn English!"
To give God's word to someone and to show His love is one of the best ways to share His truth

My goal is to raise money for "Bibles from Believers" and deliver 20 or more Bibles to unbelievers in the Ukraine.
One Russian Bible, which includes the Old and New Testaments is $8.00; a Russian/English New Testament is $5.75; the complete Russian/English Bible (includes the Old and New Testaments) is $22.50.
$75 will need to be raised for their transportation (extra bag on plane) to Ukraine.
I need to order the Bibles by November 1st 2013; I am leaving day after Thanksgiving.
please pray, and if you feel led, please donate.

Thank you.

click here to donate to: Bibles from Believers

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9/11

The father ate his meal
the mother kissed her child
the teen gave her mother a sour scowl before flouncing out the door
the father left for work
the mother said goodbye
the father didn't answer
the mother sighed and saw her child to the school bus
the father got on the busy bus and planned how he would take his wife out on a date to make up for the unanswered farewell.
the mother left for work in the trade center
the father on a break called his wife to ask her out for dinner
the phone had been left in the car
the plane hit the trade center;
the news was everywhere.
the father 's heart grew cold with fear
the mother 's tears fell thick and fast as she remembered the only way to say good bye had been left in her car.
the mother said one last prayer as the roof came crashing down.

every one started their days as normal, arguments remained unsolved,  forgiveness unasked,  a right realationship with God was put off for tomorrow.    live every moment as your last was not fulfilled and deep regrets will and have followed.
we don't know what may happen today, tomorrow, next week. when you feel like rolling your eyes, slapping your sibling, yelling at your mom or child.    Remember 9/11

Trip Update and Praise

My ticket is purchased and day after thanksgiving I will be leaving! God has blessed me so greatly these past few days, God has provided all of the necessary amount of money, I am leaving in about 3 months, I have a wonderful, supporting, encouraging and loving family and group of friends, and I have a God who will never leave me or forsake me... I pray that every word of my mouth would glorify Him, that every deed of my hands would speak of Him, and every though of my mind honor and adore Him. all glory to His name!

I am so excited, so blessed, and did I say I was SO excited? I have been dreaming of doing missions work from the time I was 7 years (or younger) I have had the desire to go to Ukraine for almost 2 years now, God has enabled me to pick up the language quickly and placed a love in my heart for Ukraine, He has placed people in my life, (such as Mrs. Heim whom we have not known very long and many others), a peace in my mom's heart to let me go, a feeling of excitement in me for even the before, dreaded plane ride (I was really afraid of it for a long while and He placed many verses in my way telling me not to fear because He is with me.)

Isaiah 12:4

In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Psalm 95:2-3

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  

Psalm 106:1

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

The Girl who is Going on the Missions Trip

 I have been going to the farmers market, it is amazing in this town how much saying "all the money goes to a missions trip to Ukraine;"  I have heard myself be called "the girl who is going on a missions trip" a couple of times.
we receive names from the world, such as, the Gentle girl, the Vain Girl, the Lazy boy, the Responsible boy, the girl who is going on the missions trip...  We are "named" for our actions, now this is what is expected from us, some of the expectations are low, some times they are high, but they are all expectations, and when we have low expectations we won't rise above them because there is "no need" to.   When we have high expectations we either fail all the time or we fail lots of the time.
1 Peter 2:16
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as servants of God.

God calls us to live freely, away from the demanding (or not so demanding) expectations of the world.
When we are in Christ, we are called to live in the freedom of Christ, living as servants of God. I earned the name (by some) of 'the girl who is going on the missions trip'  because I put up a sign and I told people. what do you think are some names that people could name you? rise above the low expectations of the world, and freely follow our perfect Savior Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:23  The grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with you all.

The Fatherless

Hello, sorry for not posting for so long, I have been kind of busy!    OK I am thinking that I will go to Ukraine in the Summer of next year and I will keep saving for a longer trip. (the summer trip will only be a week... (unless something changes)   ......  

The Fatherless.                 
  God talks a lot about the Fatherless and it is evident that He has a heart for the orphan.                                                                      Psalm 68:5
            A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
                                                                JAMES 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.  

pray that one child may find joy today, pray that one child would receive necessary medical care, that one child may find a family, be saved from the streets, be shown love, come to know their Savior, that one child may understand that they are valued by God... the list could go on and on.   Pray that one fatherless child will realize that fatherless they are no more.    

Independence Day

                                                in·de·pend·ence

  

                                                            noun

1.

Also, independency. the state or quality of being independent.

2.

freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.

Independence was very important to our country in the late 1700's and still is very dear to the hearts of many Americans; it certainly was to Patrick Henry when he said his famous words "... Give me liberty or give me death!"    

...Freedom from the control of others...   This world is so enslaved to sin, humanly speaking we have no INDEPENDENCE to sin. There is NO way that you can be "good enough" to go to heaven; there is NO way that you can do enough "good" things to go to heaven,
Jesus rose from the dead victorious and now sits at the right hand of the Father and some day soon He is coming back to gather to Himself His own, there is no second chance, no "I was going to believe tomorrow..." The time is now, become INDEPENDENT to sin and DEPENDENT upon God.  

John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

This Independence Day I pray that you may learn INDEPENDENCE from sin and true     DEPENDENCE upon God. 

              Isaiah 64:6-7

All of us have become like one who is unclean,

    and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;

we all shrivel up like a leaf,

  and like the wind our sins sweep us away.         

God is SO Holy that any sin at all can not stand in His sight and it is humanly impossible for man to be holy. 

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

so we are all destined to Hell... Hell- the place of mourning and weeping and gnashing of teeth, of pain, of death.

God knows that it is impossible for man to be holy, and being a loving and merciful God,  He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins.

John 3:16

for God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that WHOEVER, believes in Him SHALL be SAVED.

 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father. Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, confess your sins and ask Him for forgiveness, thank Him for dying on the cross,  ask Him to be LORD over your life. 

Hebrews 11:6

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God must believe He exists, and rewards those who diligently seek Him.

1. Through FAITH you have been saved not "feelings", sometimes you may "feel" close to God and sometimes you may not "feel" close to God. "We live by faith, not by sight [or feelings]" (2 Corinthians 5:7)

2. You might  doubt at times if you are "really saved" it is common for the Devil to try to tempt believers "you aren't really saved." "nothing really happened to you" "you aren't any different now then before"

remember...                                                                                                                                                                    "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

3. you are forgiven of all your sins. 
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
4. You aren't and can't be perfect, you are FORGIVEN, trust me, you will sin, but Jesus has washed that sin away with His blood that HE shed on the cross, God will correct you and lead you in His ways.
 "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1)
5. you are a new creation, the old has passed away behold the new has come! 
"Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).  God will work in you and change you and grow you closer to Him and make you more like Him.
6. you have God's promise of eternal life in Heaven with Him. You must also KEEP living for Him, not just when it is easy. was it easy for Jesus to hang on the cross?
7. Pray and read your Bible daily, go to Church to be with and be encouraged by other believers.
8. The Bible says to be baptized (which is immersion in water) Repent and be baptized, every one of you..." (Acts 2:38)
9.  Walk in God's ways, when you read in the Bible "do good to those who hurt you," that means... DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HURT YOU. it is not easy but through Christ you can do ALL things. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
10. Share your faith with others! Whoever acknowledges me before others,  I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” MATTHEW 28:19-20

What's up...

~I and my family have moved from our home near Chicago and have moved temporarily into my grandma's house, we will be closing on the new house in hopefully a couple of weeks; (up here near Peoria) so now we will be right near my Aunt, Uncle and cousins, plus; my grandma!
~There is a farmers market going on down here that I will be able to participate in, which will be helpful re: Ukraine.
~I am working in a VBS that almost all of my siblings and cousins are in so that should be fun and growing :)
~Received a button from Mrs. Heim (the friend who is taking me to Ukraine) for Donations and have been setting up a store page (under the tab of 'Store' at the top of this page)
~hanging out with my family and cousins (Aunt and Uncle included)  for Fathers Day.
~ Went to Church, the Pastor has been preaching through the book of Luke for some time now and He was preaching on the part about Jesus in front of the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod. We sang one of my favorite songs.  10,000 Reasons

Bless the Lord oh my soul,

                                               Thank you that you are in control, that you care for the fatherless, and love them I pray that you would have someone bless each of the orphans in this world in some way today and I pray that you would give the fatherless and widows, comfort, and peace. Thank you for your Son.Thank you for redemption.
                                   In Jesus name,
                                                         Amen
                                                    
                                                              Psalm 55:22 
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

My Story

My name is Susannah Baffa. I am fourteen years old, home schooled, and the eldest of six children. I have had the desire to do missions work since I was very young and I have always wanted to work with orphans. when my family pursued adoption and we began to learn more about these orphans, met more families who had followed God's calling to adoption; I felt very drawn to Ukraine. I want to go to Ukraine and help work with orphans there to show these children (and the orphanage workers who don't believe this) that they ARE lovable, that they are NOT Fatherless, that they have worth; that they are loved by an amazing God who created them and loves them and will NEVER leave them or forsake them. the LORD has blessed me with the opportunity to go to Ukraine with a friend of our family who works with 'project hopeful ' a not for profit organization. They promote proper education and support for people who have HIV and advocate for hard to place children I.e. down syndrome, HIV, older children, sibling groups.... this friend offered to take me with her this December and next summer if I could raise the necessary funds. Please pray that the LORD would provide the funds and that Any and All glory would be to HIS name. Thank you. In Christ. Susannah Baffa

                                                           JAMES 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.        

               

                                                            ACTS 1:8 

and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit descends upon you; and you shall be my witnesses, in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth.